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This summer, we started the series "One Thing That Makes Me Smile," where readers tell us about something (a joke, a movie, a brownie) they really love. We can try them, too, and hopefully we'll all end up happier for it!

"Adventure makes me come alive," says Rachel. "Even thinking about where I want to travel gives me goosebumps. This past summer, I traveled alone internationally to meet up with a dear friend in France--which was something I've never done before. I love traveling with my family, but traveling by myself was a whole new experience of self-discovery, and wanderlust. Yes, challenges and crazy things happened along the way (like running out of gas in the middle of the French countryside) but those sometimes happy accidents make traveling a more memorable experience. Traveling makes me smile."